Clamp nail



Feb. 21, 1939. A c; Y ER 2,148,390 v CLAMP NAIL Filed Sept. 3, 1955' AIM INVENTOR.

Qrmur 6121 66 1159561" ATTORNEY-5.

Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE Clamp Nail Company tion of Illinois Chicago, 11]., a corpora- Application September 3, 1935, Serial No. 38,892

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a dowel and has to do particularly with a flanged and selectedly shaped joint fastener. The articles to be joined are usually at an angle to one another. They may be side by side or end to end or face to face.

A plain or a mitered joint, or any other type of joint, may be used. I

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a dowel having the advantages of a flat H) rectangular central web and parallel flanges along the sides of such a web, the flanges flaring at the front or driven end and the web protruding beyond such flanges a substantial distance to form a guiding tongue.

A second object of the invention is the provision of an improved type of dowel having a central web, the driven end being free of flanges and rounded to form a comparatively long guiding tongue.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dowel with a comparatively long sharpened tongue the edge of such tongue being arcuate, and the tongue being narrower than the web of the dowel.

25 A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved dowel comprising a single piece of suitable material and having a central web, parallel and flaring flanges, and a tongue free from such flanges.

With the above and other desirable objects in view, the invention is hereinafter set forth with reference to the single sheet of drawings hereby made a part of this specification and upon which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a T joint in 5 which a dowel embodying the present invention is shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a face View of the dowel illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the dowel illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is anenlarged section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2; I

45 Figure 6 is a similarly enlarged section taken on the line 66 of Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is another similarly enlarged section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2.

Like reference characters are used to designate 5 similar parts in the drawing and in the description that follows. 1

In Figure 1 of the drawing, illustrating an embodiment of the invention, there is shown a joint such as one forming part of a frame. Such part 53 comprises a side member ID and an abutting operation.

member II. Frame members In and II are joined by means of a dowel l2, shown in dotted lines.

The dowel I2 has substantially an I cross section as is best shown in Figure 6. It is formed of an integral piece of thin, stiff material, generally metal and has a flat rectangular web I3, a driving end I4, and a driven end having a tongue I5.

Flanges It extend along the lateral edges of the web I3. For most of the length of the Web the flanges It are parallel, but near the tongue It: the flanges It diverge to form flares or flared flange parts Ill. The flares II terminate in points I8 which are in alignment with the base of the tongue I5. The edges of the flanges IB and I1 are sharpened or tapered to provide sharp edges, as is shown in Figure 6.

The flared flanges I I are formed by swaging the web I3 as indicated at I9. The swaging I9 extends from above the beginnings of the flares and is deepest adjacent the tongue I 5, opposite points IS. The swaging is clearly shown in Figures 2, and 7.

The dowels I2 are generally made from a continuous strip of metal, the dowels being out to the desired length and shape. The tongue I5 is arcuate on its forward edge to provide a guiding and steadying means for the dowel and is long to prevent wobbling of the dowel when it is being driven into abutting frame members. As indicated at 20, the tongue I5 may be sharpened. 30

When the tongue and driven end of the dowel is cut from a strip of metal, the same out forms the driving end of the next dowel to be cut from such a strip, the arcuate convex edge of the tongue leaving an arcuate concave driving end 2I, for the next dowel. If desired the arcuate driving end may be removed to provide a. straight end at right angles to the flanges I6.

Before driving a dowel I2 into a joint, straight saw cuts or kerfs 22 are formed in the frame members Ill and It. The kerfs 22 extend across the abutting faces of the members I0 and II in parallelism. The depth of each kerf 22 preferably is slightly greater than one-half the maximum width of the dowel I2. 45

The tongue it of the dowel i2 is started into the parallel kerfs 22. Then by applying force to the driving end I l, the dowel is driven inwardly of the frame members It and II in a path determined by the kerfs and guided by the tongue I5.

The length and shape of the tongue I5 provide stability for the dowel during the driving operation. Thus a longer tongue will insure a more steady entrance and passage during the driving During the driving operation, the flared flanges l1 bite into the material of the frame members 10 and II near the bottoms of the kerfs 22, drawing the frame members toward one another. The parallel flanges l 6 maintain the relative positions of the frame members In and H after they have been drawn tightly together by the flaring flanges l1.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1. A dowel comprising a web having flanges on opposite sides thereof, a relatively sharpened, arcuate tongue at one end ofnless width than said Web and extending beyond saidtflanges, said flanges being parallel over a portion of their length and flaring near said tongue, and channels depressed in the body of the web, said channels extending backwardly a substantial distance along the body of the web directly from the tongue.

2. A dowel comprising a web having flanges on opposite sides thereof, a sharpened, substantially semi-circular, protruding tongue at one end of less width than said web and extending beyond said flanges, said flanges being parallel over a portion of their length and flaring near said tongue, and channels depressed in the body of th'eweb, said channels extending backwardly a substantial distance along the body of the Web directly from the tongue.

ARTHUR CHRIS HEYSER. 

